The Podcast Strategists
4DC are the world’s first end-to-end strategic podcasting consultancy.
Proudly Working Alongside
How Clients Work With Us
We believe a podcast is much more than an on-demand radio segment or an audio file sitting in the cloud. It is a direct line to your audience’s mobile device and can make your brand an integral part of their daily commute, gym routine or ‘me’ time.
We understand this process, so craft content strategies with your unique business objectives in mind. This allows us to provide our clients with optimal engagement, interaction and differentiation in the podcast ecosystem and tell the stories that matter.
We offer three distinct levels of service to ensure that we can deliver for a brand at any stage of the podcasting journey.
Premium
Full service end-to-end consultancy that builds business cases, audience strategies, engagement and maximises ROI
Lite
More conventional in approach, we conceive, create, produce and distribute ‘in conversation with’ content
OutReach
Ensures maximum distribution of an existing asset and third-party spokesperson placement on relevant podcasts
Premium
The first step to success is business and brand immersion
In order to deliver a compelling strategy, we must understand everything. Our motto is: “to question to understand”. We co-create with our client and advise on ways to guarantee brand success.
Our job is to harness the power of podcasting for brands. A full service strategic, creation and distribution service tailored to engage your audience, drive advocacy and reach KPI’s.
- Initial brand immersion
- Creation of branded podcast channel
- Series/programme development
- Storytelling and script development
- Talent sourcing and management
- Distribution and promotion consultancy
- Analysis and reporting to ensure evidence-based optimisation
Lite
‘In conversation with’ format
This approach is still about delivering fantastic results. We will often work within an existing brief or content strategy.
Our role is to provide narrative and audio technical expertise to record and produce your branded podcast. This is all delivered in easy-to-manage industry standard audio formats.
We also provide access to social engagement tools that can help generate awareness of your podcast.
- Podcast studio facilities
- Engineers and audio producer specialists
- Bespoke 15 second audiogram social content
- Content distribution to agreed channels and platforms
OutReach
Maximum distribution of existing assets
With 25 years heritage in audio, we get brands on-air and online. We provide the strategy and execution to reach your audience through third party podcast channels, using a blend of influencers, a community of podcasters and relevant producers.
At 4DC we have pioneered the placement of brand spokespeople on third party podcasts. This creates a new medium that allows brands to unlock the power of podcasts without actually producing the content themselves.
Premium workflow
Our premium podcasting package offers a full end-to-end creative, planning, execution and reporting service that hits all of the beats our clients’ stories aim for. Our expert team ensure a cohesive, engaging product that speaks to audience passion points and gets the right people listening.
Brand & Business Immersion Goal Setting
Ideas & Content Development
Podcast Creative & Production
Distribution & Promotion
Evaluation & Measurement
Brand Business Immersion
- Goal setting
- Key messaging, brand themes and CTAs
- Audience takeaways; what do we want them to know/feel/engage with? – Define what success looks like for this podcast channel
- Planning & timeline established
- Budget scoping
- Episode planning and scheduling
- Outlining promotional campaign support
Ideas & Content Development
- Immersive brand session to define the TOV through story and creative for the podcast channel
- Advice on how to creatively reach podcast listeners with your message
- Podcast treatment writing
- Presenter talent sourcing and coaching
- Guest sourcing, briefing and scheduling
- Confirming podcast episode duration for genre
- Scripting and episode outlining
Podcast Creative & Production
- Dedicated podcast channel, copy and imagery created
- Episodes recorded and edited; batched or singular?
- Podcast audio imagery produced (idents/opening music) – podcast trailers and series launch created from episodes
- Social audiogram production
- Studio or location booking
- BTS social filming of recording and production sessions
Distribution & Promotion
- Channel hosted on markettiers’ central repository
- RSS feed created, channel aggregated to iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Audioboom and aggregators use of presenter and guest talent social networks
- Campaign across broadcast, print and digital
- Natively post on social, email and existing channels
- Collaboratively work with media agency or create bespoke social and PPC campaign
- Live reads across third party podcasts
Evaluation & Measurement
- Pre-launch: audit of existing native channels and competitor analysis
- Post-launch: weekly reporting on key data
- Research & feedback via podcast panel
- Consultancy: research to inform future content & promotion strategy –
- KPI reporting
Workflow Lite
The podcasting process can take many forms, as can episodes themselves. That is why we offer a range of streamlined packages to help our clients meet their business goals swiftly and effectively, without losing any of the quality and cohesion that is our trademark.
Briefing
Content Development
Podcast Production
Distribution & Promotion
Briefing
- Key messages, brand themes and CTAs
- Audience takeaways; what do we want them to know/feel/engage with?
- Description for podcast episode
Content Development
- Outline creative
- Question interview guide
- Presenter talent recruited
- Book guests and studios
Podcast Production
- Record and edit episode
- Audiogram production
Distribution
- Upload episode to ICW podcast channel or native brand channel
- Audiogram posted on social channels
- Presenter social network utlised
